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  • Lester Summit II 1050 watt charger

    I bought this 48v golf cart charger to use with my small Yamaha clone inverter generator. Can provide 22 DC charging amps. Thought was to reduce the amount I use my big diesel genset.

    Hooked it up today and the 2000w genset powers it just fine. However I am seeing crazy high charging voltages. As high as 67 volts. My batteries are not sulphated so I think there is something wrong with my charger. I selected the profile that matches my 325ah Trojan L16 batteries. The charger should be absorbing at 2.39 volts per cell. The bluetooth app voltages track exactly with both of my battery monitors.

    Anyone have any experience with this charger?
    Conext XW5548
    Conext MPPT60-150

  • #2
    Which Profile Number?

    I suspect you have a DV/DT 4 to 6-Amp finish profile which is Constant Current for X hours, so voltage will go high. The only profile you want to use with a Genny is one with a Equalizing Charge for fastest possible charge. That are very good chargers and can charge just about any 36 or 48 volt Pb or Li battery. But the Profile Selection is critical.
    Last edited by Sunking; 12-09-2018, 12:15 AM.
    MSEE, PE

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Sunking View Post
      Which Profile Number?

      I suspect you have a DV/DT 4 to 6-Amp finish profile which is Constant Current for X hours, so voltage will go high. The only profile you want to use with a Genny is one with a Equalizing Charge for fastest possible charge. That are very good chargers and can charge just about any 36 or 48 volt Pb or Li battery. But the Profile Selection is critical.
      Sunking the profile is 22002-V3 which is a DV/DT 12a finish. Is the reason for the crazy high voltages because golf carts charging priority is speed vs battery longevity? There are other flooded profiles. One has a 4a finish but is at 2.45vpc absorb. I'll try more profiles tomorrow morning. I'm guessing the 4a finish would have the voltages lower.

      Don't you think voltages above 16.4v should be avoided with my Trojan L16RE 325ah batteries?

      The AGM profiles use DI/DT termination

      One thing I should mention is that the batteries were fully charged when I installed and tested the charger.

      I really only need to use the generator during cloudy days. Is there a profile that terminates based upon return amps? I'm thinking DI/DT is return amps vs voltage hold.

      Good to know the charger probably isn't defective.

      I'll call Lester tech support on Monday.

      Thanks!
      Last edited by hammick; 12-09-2018, 01:04 AM.
      Conext XW5548
      Conext MPPT60-150

      Comment


      • #4
        If I can't find a profile that works for me is there any way to make my own or ask Lester to make one for me? I would like a profile that absorbs at about 58.8 volts and doesn't go to float. I like to determine when the batteries are fully charged. I have two shunt based monitors and an SG meter and know how to use them.

        I'd really like to avoid equalization voltages on a regular basis.
        Conext XW5548
        Conext MPPT60-150

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by hammick View Post

          Sunking profile is 22002-V3 which is a DV/DT 12a finish. Is the reason for the crazy high voltages because golf carts charging priority is speed vs battery longevity?
          There is your problem. Sounds like you might not understand what that means? It means after it finishes the charge cycle, it switches to Constant Current of 12-Amps for a FIXED TIME, so the voltage will be really high because the charger has to keep raising the voltage to keep pumping a Constant Current of 12 amps. Understand?

          The Summit is a good charger, but the Profiles Suk. Would not be bad if Lester allowed you to create your own Profile which would really be super simple using the APP. I digress. What drives me crazy is the FLA settings all use a Finnish Current and on a golf cart is understandable because you want as fast as possible, and maximum capacity over longevity. Now having said that is not a bad thing for Solar Users wanting to use the charger on a genny. Pick a Profile like the one you have chosen 22002 because it has a EQ Function and use that on the generator.

          Otherwise use 22010 for gel as it has a Float of 2.25 vpc. Understand? Perhaps consider trading for a Elcon as you can make any Profile you want.



          Last edited by Sunking; 12-09-2018, 01:07 AM.
          MSEE, PE

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks Sunking. I understand the finish charge now. Makes sense for a golf cart. Great to know my charger is not defective. I'll try the Gel setting. I can live with a 54v float charge. That's the high end of Trojan's float.

            I'll also try the 4a finish charge. Any idea how long the finish charges last? The manual doesn't go into great detail.
            Conext XW5548
            Conext MPPT60-150

            Comment


            • #7
              You waste fuel using a generator to get to float. You burn fuel to get through Absorb, and and when you reach float, let the solar take over.
              Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
              || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
              || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

              solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
              gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

              Comment


              • #8
                Hammick please correct me if I am wrong. I am trying to give you an applicable answer that fits your application.

                You have an off-grid battery system, generator, and a charger to maintain your batteries?

                Is that correct?

                I assume since this is a solar form is correct. You would need a generator and charger for an off-grid battery system as it is mandatory. Good news if I am correct is you can make th eLest Charger work for you, just have to think outside the Golf Cart box it came in. It was made specifically to be used for golf carts. In other words it is overkill, but will work. For a solar system you need the genny and charger to do 3 things for you:

                1. Weekly Top-Off charge. Solar systems cannot properly charge a battery. Just not enough sun hours in a day and most are undersized. No big deal as long as you are aware of it and know how to work around it.

                2. Cover your butt for cloudy spells.

                3. Equalization as needed. Maybe once every 30 to 60 days when your hydrometer tells you it needs EQ.

                To do that does not take a 3-stage fancy smart charger. All you need is a single Voltage to do it all. That voltage would be 64 to 70 volts on a 48 volt battery. Doe snot matter if it is Trojan or Walmart. Being on a genny, you want fast, not precise. Even if higher than what the manufacture recommends is a moot point. You are not going to leave it on long enough to be an issue.

                Regardless of which of the 3 scenarios mentioned above, the procedure is the same. Get up early before sunrise, run the genny so by mid morning the charge current has tapered down significantly, shut down genny and let the solar finish the job. Only time you would go outside that method is if you let the batteries become significantly unbalanced, and would need to let the genny fully EQ the batteries. Top them off once aa week and that issue pretty much goes away. Becomes more like once or twice a year thing.

                So what you want to do is find a Profile that has EQ mode and use it. When you start say the 22002, select the EQ mode rather than Charge.

                Are we on the same page?



                MSEE, PE

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post
                  You waste fuel using a generator to get to float. You burn fuel to get through Absorb, and and when you reach float, let the solar take over.
                  Mike I agree completely. I never float when using my gensets. I just don't want the charger going into a high volt finish mode if I'm out hiking or something.
                  Conext XW5548
                  Conext MPPT60-150

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Sunking yes I am completely off grid. Area will never have power and I like it that way. 2.6kw of panels. Conext XW5548 system with 60amp Conext CC. 325ah Trojan L16s.

                    We've had out place for close to four years now and the solar works better than I could have ever imagined. We basically live like we are on the grid. Now keep in mind we don't have or need AC and our heat sources take no electricity. We have some of the best sun you can get for solar. Dry Montana climate.

                    I'm probably way too anal about my batteries but I don't like starting an evening with a partial state of charge. That almost never happens except for cloudy times during the fall and winter.

                    My military trailer mounted diesel genset is great but it really is overkill for what we are doing at a vacation place.

                    Woke up this morning at 84% SOC and started the little Yamaha clone. The Lester charger is putting out 19.4 amps in bulk mode and the genset isn't even at full load. Exactly what I wanted. I'll take your advice and use the EQ mode or find a profile that does what I want.

                    This a great charger and a bargain. I'm relieved I don't have to send it back.
                    Conext XW5548
                    Conext MPPT60-150

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by hammick View Post
                      ..... I just don't want the charger going into a high volt finish mode if I'm out hiking or something.
                      Then you are going to fail. I don't trust any of this "mostly consumer grade gear" to run properly unattended. Unattended generators are a major cause of fires in the off-grid community. If you are not happy with the way the charger works, going off on a hike is not going to cause it work better some of the time. Off grid, you don't have time to go hiking. You have time to inspect battery connections, water cells, change the oil in the generators, insure the panel strings are still balanced. And I'm also in charge of the water plant, cleaning pond water to be drinkable

                      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Just tried the equalization suggestion. Like my Conext chargers equalization isn't able to be selected until the batteries are fully charged.
                        Conext XW5548
                        Conext MPPT60-150

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post

                          Then you are going to fail. I don't trust any of this "mostly consumer grade gear" to run properly unattended. Unattended generators are a major cause of fires in the off-grid community. If you are not happy with the way the charger works, going off on a hike is not going to cause it work better some of the time. Off grid, you don't have time to go hiking. You have time to inspect battery connections, water cells, change the oil in the generators, insure the panel strings are still balanced. And I'm also in charge of the water plant, cleaning pond water to be drinkable
                          Thanks for the positive thoughts. My off grid living is much different than yours. It's a vacation place for us. I don't have a pond, water plant or HOA. My water comes out the ground crystal clear and ready to drink. Perfect tasting and very low solids PPM count. Don't even need a filter. And we hike all the time. Sometimes all day and come back and have cocktail hour and a nice dinner.

                          We don't stray further from a running genset than we can see with binoculars. Rather than hiking I should have said walking the dog. In the unlikely event that our genset catches fire it's on gravel with a wide perimeter.

                          Now back to the Lester charger. Its working like a champ now that I have figured out the purpose the the high amp finish rate on some profiles.


                          Conext XW5548
                          Conext MPPT60-150

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Sunking I tried 2209-V3 which is a 48v AGM profile for 100-335ah batteries. Bulks at 22a and absorbs at 2.45 vpc. Works well for my needs. My Conext chargers are set to absorb at 58.8 volts and that's what this profile does. It goes to float based on return amps. Not sure exactly when it goes to float as I terminated the charge when the app was showing 3.5 amps. My Bogart meter was showing 1.7 amps and 99% charge. It will be rare that I ever let this charger do a complete charge. On cloudy days I'll just bulk to about 90% and let the solar take over.

                            What this charger really needs is temperature compensation. 58.8 volts absorb is not high enough for charging in 30 degree weather IMHO. Before I bought the charger I spoke with Lester tech support and they said the charger supports temperature compensation but they have not implemented that option yet. Seems strange as some of the profiles say they should only be used with the temp comp accessory. At a minimum they should put an option in the app for cold, normal and warm temps.

                            I'm going to call Lester and respectfully suggest that they might get a fair amount of additional sales if they allowed the charger to be more flexible for solar users. Programmable voltages, return amp termination settings and temperature compensation would make this the perfect off grid charger for small gensets.

                            As is it's a good charger to add to my system and I'm keeping it. I'll report back if and when Lester updates the app with more features.

                            Thanks for all the great advice guys.
                            Last edited by hammick; 12-09-2018, 11:31 PM.
                            Conext XW5548
                            Conext MPPT60-150

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Spoke with Lester tech support yesterday. They plan to update the app to offer temperature profiles and expect to have them ready by next summer. He said real wired temp comp won't be available until the second generation Summit II chargers are released. Not an issue for me. I can get by without the temp comp but the warm, cold and normal profiles will be a nice addition to an already great charger.
                              Conext XW5548
                              Conext MPPT60-150

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